2016 US Open Round 16 - Rafael Nadal vs. Lucas Pouille

Prediction

  • Total voters
    24
  • Poll closed .
C

Charlie

Guest
tennis_pro said:
Don't question mark me. I know what you're all about.
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Once again,

?

I only spoke the truth. Whether you like it or not is really not my problem. I would have rather seen the guy in the semi than not but we can't go back in time.
 
JohnnyMac Fan!

JohnnyMac Fan!

Legend
Levi_Ackerman said:
I don't think it's totally a coaching problem. Yes, Uncle Toni is reported to be intransigent. But I believe so too is Rafa himself. He hates getting out of his comfort zone - until it's tol late in the match. That is why he fails.

Let's look at the changes made by recent grand slam winners/finalists.
  • Djokovic - improved serve and forehand post 2013 and more net play
  • Murray - improved second serve and forehand post 2014
  • Wawrinka - improved forehand post 2013
  • Federer - increased net play post 2013 and larger racket
  • Nadal - no improvements since 2013. In fact, he has regressed, by ditching the serve which helped him win the 2010, the backhand down the line which saw him win the 2012 RG and the hardcourt aggression which saw him win a the USO Series and a second USO title.
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Yep, agree with everything, except Nadal has improved his backhand, but that is not enough
 
I

insideguy

G.O.A.T.
marc45 said:
mental of course, loss of athleticism too..but what do you do about that serve?...he gains almost nothing on it, especially on a hardcourt with the clean bounce for the returner and good traction switch

the ad side switch might help a bit, but it's a flukey thing, obviously hiding weakness
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The serve is the key. I dont know how he wins 7 matches in a row with basically few easy points.
 
T

Tiki-Taka

Guest
It's sad Nadal didn't have a better 2016. He worked so hard on trying to come back but wasn't rewarded.

Unfortunately I can only say thanks to him for some memorable matches this year and can't congratulate on some titles. Hopefully he can have some good runs in 2017.
 
E

Emperor of Belgrade

Guest
Boom-Boom said:
Where is Nadal now you think? :eek:;)
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Vamos a la playa
smiley-sport007.gif
 
marc45

marc45

G.O.A.T.
insideguy said:
The serve is the key. I dont know how he wins 7 matches in a row with basically few easy points.
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on clay it obviously isn't as big a deal...he would get help on grass too though he barely shows up at Wimbledon anymore...I mean, he was breaking at an insane level in these four matches, but he has to just to survive...and yes, that's no way to get through 7 (he could dominate the women's tour with that pattern, and at least compete with Serena :) )
 
tennis_pro

tennis_pro

Bionic Poster
Tiki-Taka said:
It's sad Nadal didn't have a better 2016. He worked so hard on trying to come back but wasn't rewarded.

Unfortunately I can only say thanks to him for some memorable matches this year and can't congratulate on some titles. Hopefully he can have some good runs in 2017.
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I think it's only gonna get worse unless Nadal stops floating 100 mph first serves just to start points.
 
Gary Duane

Gary Duane

Talk Tennis Guru
Levi_Ackerman said:
  • Murray - improved second serve and forehand post 2014
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Too soon to know for sure about the 2nd serve. Let's wait until the season ends to make a judgement about that. ATP stats points right now are horribly screwed up. If Murray does not win this USO most likely it will be the serve (again) that lets him down. <fingers crossed for Murray>

Nadal: Everyone forgets that he will never be other than a clay court player who tries to adjust his clay game to other surfaces. He has always been more vulnerable to hot players off clay. I agree that he does not change easily. What can you expect from a guy with such extreme rituals?

But let's give Pouille more credit. Few people would beat this guy playing the way he was playing today. Talk about someone in the zone!!!!
 
Meles

Meles

Bionic Poster
JohnnyMac Fan! said:
Good match, but I knew after Nadal broke Lucas on the 5th that he was going to lose. If you pay attention to Rafa of late, he tends to let his opponent get in to the matches, making them tight, which creates anxiety, which ultimately make him miss stupid mistakes, like the one that could have gave him the match if he didn't net the stupid shot. His forehand and serve are not improving.

Nadal is a nice guy, with ethics, morals, integrity. But he is somewhat misguided by thinking that he would be betraying his uncle by bringing somebody else to help his problems.

I cant believe to say this, but perhaps it is best for him to lose is such horrific manner. He should learn something fro this (another) defeat
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I literally swear I thought Rafa's butt picking was off its game there before Luka broke back.:D Just tired. This is the best I've seen Rafa play on hard courts in the last two years (better than last Fall). His serve was strong for most of the fifth set. He would have had serious momentum if he'd won this match. Pouille has never played this well in an entire match. He is the most clutch player I've ever seen so its a great thing for tennis his victory and Rafa is just going to be all the more motivated. We have some new young players coming up. Pouille is six months younger than Thiem, so its an exciting time. Pouille is going to get a lot stronger on serve. He's an incredible contrast to the other great French players of the last 10 years. Pouille was off the radar until March when he beat Wawrinka and started doing well on clay and grass. Its been an amazing run for Luka where he has capitalized on his fortunate seeding where lucky Rome SF boosted his ranking.
 
marc45

marc45

G.O.A.T.
Gary Duane said:
Too soon to know for sure about the 2nd serve. Let's wait until the season ends to make a judgement about that. ATP stats points right now are horribly screwed up. If Murray does not win this USO most likely it will be the serve (again) that lets him down. <fingers crossed for Murray>

Nadal: Everyone forgets that he will never be other than a clay court player who tries to adjust his clay game to other surfaces. He has always been more vulnerable to hot players off clay. I agree that he does not change easily. What can you expect from a guy with such extreme rituals?

But let's give Pouille more credit. Few people would beat this guy playing the way he was playing today. Talk about someone in the zone!!!!
Click to expand...

the thing is Nadal certainly helps players get into the zone with those weak serves and still dropping a lot of groundstrokes short

the only thing he did better than Pouille was volley...that doubles gold obviously gave him even more confidence and I think it's obvious he's got to get there more....he couldn't out-rally this guy and likely won't in the future if they play again
 
Tenez!

Tenez!

Professional
Who had twice more slam wins this year than the other:
- 34-year old creaking busted-knee Federer? or
- 29-year old sprightly calf-biceps Nadal?
Take a wild guess.

Tiki-Taka said:
It's sad Nadal didn't have a better 2016. Unfortunately I can only say thanks to him for some memorable matches this year and can't congratulate on some titles. Hopefully he can have some good runs in 2017.
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The guy vultured two clay titles in April-May, that was already way more that he deserved with his insufferable topspin gimmick.
 
Nostradamus

Nostradamus

Bionic Poster
Wooly said:
no it is not sad ... Puille just was the better Player at the end, and won a great match. So nice to see younger Players coming up and challenging the old Big Ones ... i don´t understand why so many People here just can´t enjoy a great Match, and always argue about their "Heroes" and who "choked" and is "finished" and all this **** ... just enjoy some great Tennis and gibe credit to the Player who wins, but also to the one that loses but puts on a great fight ... why is it so hard to just be a bit more relaxed ??
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Poille suck,,, he is just a sucky Frenchman. who will not win a major
 
I

insideguy

G.O.A.T.
marc45 said:
the thing is Nadal certainly helps players get into the zone with those weak serves and still dropping a lot of groundstrokes short

the only thing he did better than Pouille was volley...that doubles gold obviously gave him even more confidence and I think it's obvious he's got to get there more....he couldn't out-rally this guy and likely won't in the future if they play again
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Bingo how many times have we heard this is the best match some guy has ever played against rafa. This is not a coincidence. He lets players do it.
 
Meles

Meles

Bionic Poster
Sela said:
@Meles, you knew it, the agressiveness, the frigging clutchness,that he wanted to have Rafa's skin on Ashe everything... Will you marry me? :D
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Yes.:D As the two TTW Pouille fans we'll be unstoppable.:p Unfortunately, Thiem is still my number one guy.

I thought Rafa would win this match in straight sets. I didn't think Luka could get the ball by him. Pouille played out of his mind in this match and his backhand hit a new level. All this with a bad serve.:confused: Coming into the US Open Luka had won 48.6% of his points on hard courts in 2016. I did not think he could hang with Nadal, but wow was I wrong.:D
 
O

oneness

Professional
Couldn't watch after two sets, but going by Twitter it looks like it was a nervy affair with Pouille playing great.
Hate it when he loses close matches due to nerves, but it is happening very regularly now, can't remember the last time he won a close match. He can't consolidate a break or close a set with his weak serving and unreliable forehand.
Not sure where he goes from here. Hope is a dangerous thing,
Injuries, nerves have done a number on him. Aging doesn't help either.
 
Meles

Meles

Bionic Poster
Tiki-Taka said:
It's sad Nadal didn't have a better 2016. He worked so hard on trying to come back but wasn't rewarded.

Unfortunately I can only say thanks to him for some memorable matches this year and can't congratulate on some titles. Hopefully he can have some good runs in 2017.
Click to expand...
Long way to go in 2016 including WTF.
 
B

britam25

Hall of Fame
oneness said:
Couldn't watch after two sets, but going by Twitter it looks like it was a nervy affair with Pouille playing great.
Hate it when he loses close matches due to nerves, but it is happening very regularly now, can't remember the last time he won a close match. He can't consolidate a break or close a set with his weak serving and unreliable forehand.
Not sure where he goes from here. Hope is a dangerous thing,
Injuries, nerves have done a number on him. Aging doesn't help either.
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True, that's 3 straight five setters he's lost, and not exactly to a group of immortals: The Fog last year here, Verdasco(shudder!) in the AO this year, and now, to an promising 22 year old, but who was playing his first match on Armstrong. Clutch, thy name is NOT Rada, lol...
 
Meles

Meles

Bionic Poster
marc45 said:
I give Pouille credit, you still have to hit the winners and he did...and not choke..he kind of did, but Nadal one-upped him

but Nadal, he hit 211 serves, one ace
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Cut his some slack. That wrist nowhere near 100% and he played some great tennis under the circumstances.
 
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